There are more than 1.9 billion websites today, and out of this number, about 200 million websites are active.
If you want to set up a website for your business, one of the first decisions you’ll make is what your business domain name will be.
Your domain name will be a reflection of your brand. Of course, you could just use your business name for your website.
However, that domain name may not be available. When this happens, you have to get creative.
Keep reading to learn how to come up with a website name that will stand out.
Brainstorm
Before you decide on anything, brainstorm domain name ideas. Take all the ideas and names that come to your mind and do a brain dump. Get an old-fashioned pen and paper and write down all the possible names you can think of – the good and the bad.
If you can’t think of anything, look for inspiration. Take a look around your office or workplace. Tinker with your products.
Do Keyword Research
You can use a keyword research tool to find popular keywords and key phrases. You can also use the tool to find keywords related to your industry.
Think about keywords that your target audience would type in when searching for your products or services. Consider using a relevant keyword as the basis of your domain name.
Look Up Synonyms
Another idea is to use a thesaurus. If you have a domain name in mind, but it’s already taken, use a thesaurus to find other words with the same meaning.
A thesaurus can be useful in helping you find interesting words that represent your brand. Your domain name doesn’t have to be a commonly used word.
Ask Others around You
Want some inspiration? Ask friends and family what words they would use to describe your business or the products you’re selling. If you’re stuck, new perspectives can help you see your business in a different way.
Be Willing to Change the Domain Name
To get the right domain name, you might need to alter your business name or change up the spelling.
You should also be willing to play around with words. Sometimes variations can make memorable brand names.
For example, did you know that the company Google was originally called Backrub? Eventually, the company was renamed Google. Google is actually a play on the word googol, which is a gigantic number (1 with 100 zeros after it!).
Even though Backrub is a more common term, it’s not exactly as catchy as Google.
Use .com
A domain name is comprised of two parts. The first part is the Second Level Domain (SLD). The second part is called the Top Level Domain (TLD).
In nicedomain.com, nicedomain is the SLD, while .com is the TLD.
The most common TLD is .com. Generally, if you’re registering a business domain, you should use .com.
More than 46 percent of registered domains have .com. Only 5.1 percent use .org and 3.7 percent have the extension .net.
Also, if you do register a .com domain name, you might want to purchase other TLDs with the same domain name. You should purchase popular TLDs with your domain name, such as .net, .co, or .biz. You can redirect those TLDs to your main .com domain.
This ensures that other businesses don’t purchase the same domain name as yours with a different TLD.
Represent Your Products and Services
You want to choose a website name that represents your products and services. When a person is typing in your URL in their browser, you want them to already have an idea of what your business is about.
Your website name should be a building block of your brand. Think about what feeling or idea you want to evoke.
For example, if you sell clothes, you want a domain name that reflects fashion. If you’re a food blogger, you want one that’s related to recipes or healthy eating.
Choose an Interesting or Memorable Name
Make sure you register a domain name that evokes interest and captures attention. You want it to be interesting and catchy because common domain names are already taken. You also want a name that is unique yet easy to remember.
Consider Spelling and Length
You should also consider the spelling of your domain name. If you choose a domain name with complicated spelling, people are more likely to misspell it.
You should also be careful with numbers or hyphens. Visitors may forget whether the number is spelled out or it’s in numeral form.
When it comes to character length, the shorter, the better. You don’t want a long domain name that people will forget.
Using Your Own Name
Should you use your own name for your domain name? It depends.
If you’re using yourself as the brand of your company – for example, if you’re a blogger or a motivational speaker – go for it!
Get Help from Domain Name Generators
If you’re still stuck, use domain name generator tools to give you ideas. You can enter a keyword – and the tool will generate suggestions based on that keyword.
How to Come Up with a Website Name the Easy Way
When you narrow down your decision for domain names, you can conduct market research to see which domain name is preferred. And when you do finally choose one, make sure to purchase the domain name before it’s taken.
Want to learn more about how to come up with a website name? Check out more articles on our blog!
